Compare towns
Holderness vs Dunstable vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Holderness has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
Dunstable has the highest household income ($209k).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (22 min average).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Holderness | Dunstable | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,917Lowest |
3,408Highest |
2,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.4±7.4 about the U.S. average |
41.5±2.4Highest 7% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Dunstable and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±9.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.4%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dunstable and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,863±$45kLowest 34% above U.S. |
$208,512±$23kHighest 158% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13k 52% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,100±$60kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$674,000±$30kHighest 103% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47k 33% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,068±$385Highest 46% above U.S. |
$1,325±$637Lowest 6% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181 18% above U.S. |
| Holderness and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,923Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$9,020Highest 189% above U.S. |
$7,904 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.5%±21.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60%±77.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dunstable and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
0.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±3.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dunstable and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #4 of 282 in MA | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Holderness School District | Groton-Dunstable | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.